Elements and Principles

of Design

Elements of Art
The seven elements of art
are:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Line
Shape
Form
Space

5. Texture
6. Color
7. Value

Line
Emotion
Lines Convey ____________
Match the following group of lines to the
corresponding description:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

nervous, agitated
stability, strength
calm, restful
powerful, dynamic
graceful

b
e
d

a
c

Shape
When lines come together they form
Shape
__________.
Shapes have two dimensions
Length
Width
__________
and __________.
Shapes that are man made and
Geometric
mathematical are called ____________.
Shapes that are free flowing and
curvilinear are based on nature and are
Organic
called __________.

Form
Form differs from shape in
that it has three dimensions
Length
__________, Width
__________ and
Depth
__________.
All forms have Shape
__________.

Texture,
Space, Color and Value
Texture
__________
refers to the surface
quality of a work of art.
Space
__________
refers to the area an
object takes up in the picture plane.
Color
__________
refers to the specific
hues used in a work of art.
Value
__________
refers to the difference
between light and darkness of a
color in a work of art

Principles of Design
The six principles of design
are:

1. Pattern
4. Balance
2. Emphasis 5. Contrast
3. Unity
6. Rhythm &
Movement

Symmetrical
Balance can be _______________,
Asymmetrical
________________ or Radial
__________.
Symmetrical
_______________
tend to be the most
stable, because the two sides ore
exactly the same.
Asymmetrical
________________
has no center
line, but has a sense of balance that
is achieved by contrasting different
elements together to create equal
visual weight on the sides of the
picture plane.

 __________
radiates from a central point.
Radial
This type of balance is similar to
symmetrical balance, but is different in
that the various elements radiate around a
central point forming a circular pattern.
Unity
is created when all the
__________
elements in a design work well together.
Often a work of art will have a single
element that is emphasized and dominates
a painting; (a main subject) and the
other elements support it.

Contrast refers to a major

__________
difference between elements. (Small
differences add variety, but are not
strong enough to create contrast.) All
sorts of contrasts are found in art
and nature and include; light and
shadow, large and small, straight and
curved, rough and smooth; and even
in mood such as joy and sorrow.

Emphasis is created by using the

__________
elements to develop a main idea. It is
that which is the most important. It
can be achieved through placement
of objects, size, complexity and
color.
Pattern
___________
is created by a repeated
unit of elements. It uses all the
elements of art and is found in nature
and man made objects.

 When the lines lead the eye through

the piece of artwork you have
Rhythm & Movement
achieved _____________________.